The pandemic helps and doubles the share of wind power and solar energy in the world

Solar and wind energy have doubled their share in the last five years, and already represent almost 10% of the energy produced in the world, according to an analysis by the British environmental group Ember.

Ember analyzed 48 countries that account for 83% of the world’s electricity. Data showed that wind farm and solar energy increased 14% in the first half of 2020 compared to the same period last year, while global energy demand fell 3% due to the impact of the coronavirus.

At the same time that wind turbines and solar panels proliferated, the proportion of coal in the mix fell around the world. In some places, mainly Western European countries, coal has been virtually eliminated from electricity generation.

China relied on the dirtiest fossil fuel for 68% of its electricity five years ago. This percentage fell to 62% this year and renewable energies accounted for 10% of all electricity generated, including wind farm, solar thermal and photovoltaic.

However, the growth of renewable energy may not be fast enough for the world to meet its climate targets.

Coal use is expected to drop about 79% by 2030 from last year’s levels, a decrease of 13% per year over the next decade, Ember said.

New installations in the wind sector are expected to remain more or less stable over the next five years, according to data from BloombergNEF. This will make it difficult to achieve a sustained rate of doubling of renewable energy every five years.

“If your expectations are that we need to hit the 1.5 degree target, of course we’re not going fast enough,” said Dave Jones, an analyst at Ember.